When I was a kid, we lived in the last house at the top of a big hill in the woods of Pennsylvania. In addition to our pets–our dog Sparky, a tankful of fish in my bedroom, frogs in a terrarium in my sister’s room, a birdcage with parakeets Blueberry and Snowflake in my brother’s room–we were surrounded by wildlife outside, too. Right in our backyard we encountered snakes, rabbits, bats, bugs, once a bear, and more salamanders than you could possibly imagine. In fact, the salamanders were so plentiful that my brother and I would take turns flipping over a rock and snatching them up as they fled. We had a small plastic terrarium that we’d put them in to watch what they did. I even took some into school because my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Dean, said it would be a good project to observe them. What I didn’t realize then was just how much we were disturbing everything about those poor little salamanders’ lives–their habitat, yes, and also their life cycle (they almost always died in our care if we didn’t let them go soon enough).

To paraphrase Maya Angelou, when you know better, you do better.

Enter: The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World.

This book breaks down the myriad ways we can all help animals in need, from the ones in our homes to the ones in our backyards to the ones on the other side of the world. It’s easy, digestible, and–most importantly–nonjudgmental.

The accessibility of the writing turns complex themes, like the interconnectedness of people, pets, and the environment, into succinct, actionable steps. In fact, one of the strengths of this guide is the “Comment and Share” section at the end of every chapter that distills the main point into bite-sized chunks with clear steps to take to make a difference.

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A simple reference for helping animals

One of the great things about this book is that you can dip in and out of individual chapters to learn about the topic you’re most interested in, or quickly refer back to a topic without losing anything in the mix. It’s set up like a reference guide, though it’s written like a narrative.

My two fave chapters focused on the power of words–how we speak about things matters–and the impact our actions have on the environment. The latter of those two united the importance of environmentalism and the lives of the animals around us and inspired me and John to put hummingbird feeders around our yard!

The ultimate lesson I took from The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World is one we talk a lot about around here: Do your best.

No one is perfect. No one should strive to be perfect. But we should all strive to do better when and where we can.

Align your actions with your values

Who is this book for? Honestly, I think because it’s written in such an accessible way, it’s perfect for a YA audience on up. It would be a great conversation starter or project inspo in a classroom setting, but it’s also a succinct reference to keep on your shelf to pull down for ideas and motivation.

I was lucky enough to receive a proof of the book to review since it doesn’t come out until June 5. However, you can pre-order a copy on Amazon!

YIPPEEE! I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

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Sure, today’s the official first day of summer, but it’s been hot and humid around here for weeks. I do love this day, though, because here in Indiana we’re at the western most point of the eastern timezone. That means, on this longest day of the year, it’s light well past 10 PM! (Although… I have to get up crazy early to catch my flight for BlogPaws, so I might not get to enjoy the day as much as usual…)

Anyway, these longer summer days mean one thing: more reading time!

Over the past few months, I’ve read and sifted through about a dozen pet-related book to create your essential summer reading guide! My goal was to narrow it down to six books, but… I ended up with seven (you’ll see why below).

With each, I’ve included a bit about each book, my Amazon affiliate link* to buy (though the library is a lovely place to visit on a steamy summer afternoon!!), plus why I included it on this list of essentials. Then, at the very end of this post, there are chances to win all seven books!

So, let’s do this, shall we?!

OhMyDogBlog.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

GOOD DOG: A Dog Lover’s Coloring Book!

I’m sure you’ve all seen the coloring craze, and how much better can it get with this intricate, darling dog version!? Here’s the thing about the “zen” coloring movement: Coloring isn’t a meditative experience for me. I totally get how it is for some people. In fact, I’ve seen many an Instagram this summer of folks coloring away poolside under an umbrella. Looks relaxing! But for me? I haven’t yet mastered the amount of focus required to complete one of these elaborate designs. But, unlike some of the other coloring books I’ve seen, this one at least keeps me entertained with the dog pics! This one’s also kid-friendly; I recently passed along a copy and plan to pick up another for an upcoming kiddo birthday. Pick up a copy of GOOD DOG.

Shelter Dogs in a Photo Booth by Guinnevere Shuster

Honestly, you guys, this might be one of the cutest photo books I’ve ever seen. Photographer Guinnevere Shuster snapped photo booth shots of adoptable dogs at Utah shelters, and–of course–adoption rates skyrocketed. The pictures are equally silly and sweet, and it’s truly remarkable how much personality she captured in each photo booth series. It’s no wonder these dogs got adopted so quickly! In fact, the book shares the success stories of the dogs along with the photo series, which makes each page a true delight to read. We’ve flipped through it and laughed dozens of times already! Pick up a copy of Shelter Dogs in a Photo Booth.

For Dog’s Sake by Amy Luwis

Not gonna lie about this one… It was thisclose to getting cut from the list of possibilities. The subtitle does not exaggerate. This book includes every single thing that could potentially be dangerous for your dog. It quotes a vet who calls throwing sticks a “violent incident.” There are many, many useful things in this book, and it’s illustrations are the thing that convinced me to include it. They’re darling. Among the useful stuff: signs of a spider bite, how to perform the Heimlich on a dog, and safety tips. I sort of felt like the list of potential dangers, toxins, and terrors was a bit, well, over-the-top, but then someone kindly pointed out that this would actually be a great book for a first-time dog owner. Someone who really needed to learn all there is to know about dog safety. So, that point plus the illustrations earned it a spot on the list. Truly, THE perfect gift for someone who’s never had a dog in their home before! Pick up a copy of For Dog’s Sake.

Wallace by Jim Gorant

This isn’t a book about a dog. It is, but it isn’t. I knew a bit about Wallace before I started this book, but it turned out to be about so much more. It’s not even a pit bull story or an against-all-odds story. It is just simply a story of a boy and his dog. The entire thing is about their bond, their relationship. If you’ve read The Lost Dogs (if not, I HIGHLY recommend it), you know Jim Gorant’s style. He’s a sports reporter, and it reads like classic, narrative sports reporting. It’s told at a quick clip–in fact, I was startled when I hit the last chapter. Pick this one up now; Wallace’s “boy” in the book, Roo Yuri, is a competitor in that Ninja Warrior show on TV promoting dog adoption! I’m happy to share and support and spread this book, even though it’s a few years old, in advance of his competition! Pick up a copy of Wallace.

Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Brownwen Dickey

This book deserves its own post and will likely get it down the road. But, for today’s purposes, here’s what I have to say about this book: Buy it. Buy multiple copies and hand them out. I saw somewhere that she spent seven years researching this book, and that work paid off. The book is painstakingly wrought, starting with our first foray into dog breeding and carrying us through today. Her analysis was thoughtful and breathtaking in scope. The book isn’t about pit bulls, really, but about our relationship with race, class, aggression, anger, stereotypes… all the things at the heart of so many of our cultural problems. This isn’t a beach read. It’s not light. It’s definitely not fluffy. It’s in-depth and thorough and necessary reading. Truly, I want this book in the hand of every animal advocate because it’s the story, the data. A million times over, this is a must-read. As I said, I think it deserves its own post (maybe a book club on Google Hangouts or something if many of you are reading?!?!), but it’s a Must Read. Pick up a copy of Pit Bull.

James Herriot

“What’s that?” you ask. “That’s an author, not a book!” Well, right you are! And this is why this roundup includes seven instead of six… Oh, my goodness, you guys. So, it was a weird fluke that I got these books. The publicist sent me an email and said, basically, “Hey, I’m going to send you these newly repackaged books, no strings!” Well, I love books, so OK! Holy moly… She sent two. I read the first page of the first one and knew it had to be included in this guide/giveaway, but then there was that second one… Here goes.

All Creatures Great and Small

Originally published in 1972, this is a re-release… and oh, my goodness. I’m not sure I can describe just how delightful this book is. This is the first of five (I’m already ordering the next four PLUS all his children’s books, btw) of James Herriot’s memoirs. It begins with him having just come out of vet school in England in 1935. Think the end of Downtown Abbey but the farms, not the manor. It’s quirky and sweet and charming. Just stinking charming. He’s a mostly farm vet–the chapters are about calves and horses, the occasional dog, the even more occasional sheep–and his relationship with the farmers, the people whose lives are tied up in the welfare of the stock. It’s truly delightful. I laughed the most. Cried a bit. It was seriously such a disappointment each night when I got too tired to read more! (Thank goodness for these long summer days…) Am I over-hyping this? NO! I promise… it’s so freaking endearing. If I didn’t have to go out of town, I’d be waiting at the window for the Amazon truck to bring me the next installments. Have I said charming enough? It’s so charming!! Pick up a copy of All Creatures Great and Small.

Dog Stories

OK, so this wasn’t immediately apparent to me, but… Dog Stories is a collection of the chapters from his memoirs that were about dogs. I was laughing and crying SO MUCH at his memoir that John picked up this collection to see what all my fuss was about. A couple chapters in, we realized it was the collection, each with a little bit added at the end about what’s happened to the dog since (remember… these started in the 1930s!). Here’s what John had to say: “Whatever I have to say won’t do it justice. Aside from it being endearing and charming, which it is, you just love these farmers who are so gruff. He seems ahead of his time in that he realized the value of a companion animal, not as a worker but as a friend and what they meant to those families. Not only are the cases the point of each chapter, but also the individual dogs’ personalities are a character.” Pick up a copy of Dog Stories.

PHEW! Did you get this far? If so, you’re a power reader like I am! 🙂 Now for the good stuff. Each of these publishers so kindly offered a second copy for one of you to win!

You know how much we love books around here! I had the opportunity to check out a sweet children’s book, A Dog Dreams of Paris, written by Barbara Barth. Now, since I’m not a children’s book expert, I had my ridiculously adorable nephew and his pups check it out on my behalf.

They look like they’re riveted, huh? And how cute, right?!

Anyway, when they reached out about sending a copy for review (and giveaway!), I also got the chance to ask the author a few questions. Since this is a dog-centric book, I thought it would be fun to learn about her dog April and how she went “from rescue dog to diva.”

We’d love to learn more about sweet April and how she inspired you to write this book!

April was dog number six in this household. She came from the same rescue group as Rascal, who joined my household New Year’s Eve Day. My thoughts on a bleak holiday came down to this . . . can’t get a date, get a dog! I had a hard time looking at Petfinder online trying to decide on Rascal or April, but Rascal’s mismatched eye color won me over. I couldn’t forget April’s photo, however. The next week I decided April had to come, too. She was shy and kept her distance from the other dogs, including her old pen buddy Rascal. I renamed her Miss April in Paris and during a photo shoot placed a vintage pink chapeau with a large pink rose on her head. She took to the hat and posed for me. The placement of that hat and the attention she received as I took her photos, helped bring her out of her shell. I decided she would have her own blog (in 2010) about her dreams of going to Paris. The blog turned out to be a good thing. I had self-published my memoir, The Unfaithful Widow, and was on my first blog tour with WOW Women on Writing. One of the stops on the tour was Tilly the Dog in England. My post had to be written from the dog’s viewpoint, so Miss April in Paris wrote about her blog. I kid that she has not made it to Paris, but she did a brief stint in England. Shortly after the blog stopped, but the idea to have a small book and expand her diary stayed with me. This year I decided to make it happen. I was getting ready for hip replacement surgery and needed to feel a sense of accomplishment before I had my surgery and something to look forward to while I did my physical therapy, which is this tour once again with WOW!

I saw that a portion of all book sales will be donated to animal rescue. Which rescue will benefit from your book sales?

I launched the book in May, right before my surgery, with all profits for sales in May to go to Friends of DeKalb Animals (FODA). I am very familiar with this group and it seemed like a good starting place. My plan is to be able to do book signings at dog events and other local events and ear mark profits for the local rescue groups that brought me my dear dogs! In addition, the book is available at my wholesale cost for rescue groups who want to use them for their own fund raising events. They just have to contact me to work out details. I donated copies of April’s book to Atlanta Canine Adoption Project (ACAP) the group that brought me Rascal and Miss April in Paris as a thank you. I am still on my walker from my surgery, so my book signing plans are on hold til the end of summer. Of course, readers can buy April’s story on Amazon and rest assured the profits will go to animal shelters. I’ve always donated to animal charities, if not money, auction items, especially when I had my antique shop. I wish I could give more. I hope my book will do just that as time goes by and folks learn about A Dog Dreams of Paris.

Does Miss April have any plans for future adventures?

April is content with her fame at the moment. But I have five other dogs with dreams of their own. That’s a lot of material to work with! I also plan on finishing my dog memoir this year, on life with a six-pack at home. April will be a big part of that story, too!

For any readers who think their dogs might have a story to tell, too, what advice would you share?

I am a blog freak, and would tell anyone with a dog to start a blog. I have way too many blogs, from sharing stories of my dogs, to my own dreams of owning a farmhouse. I use my blogs as writing journals, complete with photos. When I need material for a book, I can pull from my posts. It is a great place to put your thoughts together, share on social media, and then decide if you want to expand to a book. I love small books, too. A perfect format for a dog’s story.

Thank you, Barbara, for taking the time to share about your book, April, and what’s to come! So fun, right?

And, thanks to her generosity, one of YOU has the opportunity to win a copy of A Dog Dreams of Paris for yourself! This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. The widget will load below (sometimes it takes a second). If you’re reading this via email or through a feed, you might have to click the link.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Howdy, folks! John here. When Maggie received a copy of Dean Koontz’s new book Ask Anna (co-written by his adorable golden retriever, Anna) I snatched it from her. I’m a HUGE Dean Koontz fan. I love all of his books. Every. Single. One. He’s such a fantastic story-teller. He writes suspenseful books with interesting, relatable characters. Most of the time, though, the best characters are the dogs. He wrote a book several years ago about his dog Trixie who was a retired service dog, from whom he learned a lot about humanity and the inherent goodness of dogs.

Anyway, the book is a collection of letters written by dogs to Anna asking for advice. I’m not typically one who enjoys reading things written from the dog’s perspective. It tends to be too cutesy for me. However, the letters written to Anna, and her responses, are exactly how I imagine dogs conversing. For all of their nobility, gentleness, understanding, forgiving, and unconditional compassion, dogs are incredibly goofy creatures. The eat, smell, roll in, and just overall enjoy some very odd things. Regardless of the question, Anna has very sage, dog-like advice.

For example:

Charmin: “I love to shred these rolls of paper. I love to unravel one through the house and then follow it back, pretending I’m Hansel and Gretel, escaping along our marked trail through the woods, the evil witch close behind us. I love to sneak out at night to decorate the neighbors’ trees and shrubbery with one. Is this wrong?”

Anna: “It is so right that I don’t have the words to express how right it is. But please tell me you never drink from the toilet.”

How great is that? She tells Huckleberry, the beagle who steps on his ears when he’s sniffing, to act like a cat falling off a window sill and “pretend the dumb move was intentional.” She suggests that Cutie in Cleveland, who wants to get a job, to audition for the next Star Wars movie because Yoda has poor syntax, no fur, and “looks like a wrinkled turnip.”

This book is whimsical, entertaining, and will make think more about some of the things your pup does. The pictures are great, the advice sound, and the message clear. Dogs are silly and thoughtful, and that’s why we love them so much.

One last amazing note about this book is that 100% of what Dean Koontz receives from the sale of this book will be donated to Canine Companions for Independence, the nonprofit group that trains service dogs for individuals with disabilities. Also, Anna states up front that she is being paid in sausages.

And now you have a chance to win a copy! (Sorry, international folks, this one is U.S. only.)

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I’m a sucker for a light novel. In this house, we read constantly. It’s our after-work habit to take our books and herd out to the patio and read until the light fades (ugh – it’s becoming earlier and earlier). Even Newt joins us on her harness.

In between “work-ish” reading, I love to devour a quick page turner. And The Dog Park by Laura Caldwell totally fit the bill!

The novel features recently-divorced Jessica and Sebastian, who have agreed on joint custody of their goldendoodle, Baxter. Settling in to a prickly normalcy, things get crazy for the two when Baxter is captured on camera rescuing a child and the video goes viral.

According to her rep, “Laura is an award-winning author and the proud parent of goldendoodle, Shafer, who changed not only her life, but her career. When her publisher encouraged her to write about what she was truly passionate about, the answer was clear, and THE DOG PARK was born.”

Interestingly, the author’s story parallels her character Jessica’s. As she deals with the media fallout of Baxter’s viral video, she starts to pursue a new direction in her career through a Baxter-inspired passion project. Though Baxter is the spark for the story, the plot follows Jessica’s trajectory: trying to figure out a new normal post-divorce, building her business, and reconciling her past to her future.

It’s a really cute book that you can easily knock out in a weekend! And, thanks to the generosity of Laura Caldwell’s publisher, one of YOU will win a copy of the novel!

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I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to review this darling novel AND to be able to give a copy away to one of you!